Selecting device for pattern programmer



P 1966 F. c. WIESINGER ETAL 8,

SELECTING DEVICE FOR PATTERN PROGRAMMER Filed Oct. 25, 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR FREDERICK C. WIESINGEE.

BY MICHAEL APETKO.

0 5506? Q.WAM1L A TTORNEY l 1| ll] A ril 26, 1966 F. c. WIESINGER ETAL SELECTING DEVICE FOR PATTERN PROGRAMMER 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed 001.. 23, 1963 H0 VOLTS A.C.

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SELECTING DEVICE FOR PATTERN PROGRAMMER Filed Oct. 23, 1963 5 sheets'sheet 5 INVENTOR. FREDERICKGWIESINGER. BY MICHAEL APETKo.

A TTORNE Y United States Patent M 3,248,048 SELECTING DEVICE FOR PATTERN PROGRAMIVIER Frederick C. Wiesinger, Feasterville, and Michael A.

Petko, Philadelphia, Pa., assignors to Wildman Jacquard Co., Norristown, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Oct. 23, 1963, Ser. No. 318,321 5 Claims. (Cl. 234-51) means of selecting the desired number'and sequence of perforations to be formed on said pattern card.

It is an object of the invention to provide a selecting device for a pattern programmer which is capable of producing a pattern card in considerably less time than has been possible with devices utilized prior to the instant invention.

It is a'further object of the invention to provide a selecting device which eliminates to a considerable extent the mental and physical steps formerly required 'in the production of pattern cards, thereby reducing by a large margin the possible chances of human error and incorrect selections.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following more detailed disclosure. Prior to the instant invention the number and sequence of perforations which were formed on a pattern card by the punching head of a pattern programmer were formed by manually selecting each selecting lever that would be responsible for producing a single hole in one row of said perforations.

Working from a predetermined pattern laid out in graph form, the operator by means of a probe member positions individually those selecting levers which correspond to the patterned square of the graph layout. The number of perforations in a single row on the pattern card may vary depending, of course, on the intricacy of the pattern and the number of levers selected. After the selection of the desired number of levers sufiicient to make one row of perforations on the card, the operator actuates the punching head causing a single row of holes to be punched simultaneously. The return of the punching head to its initial position permits those levers selected to return to their initial position and automatically advances the card in readiness for subsequent selections.

This method of producing pattern cards has worked with some degree of success but'has left a great deal to be desiredin the way of speeding up card production and lessening the chances of human error that result in incorrect selections.

An operator when making selections by this method first looks at the graph layout, makes a mental note of as many of the patterned squares and their sequence as he is capable of remembering, and looking away, then manually selects the selecting levers which correspond to those patterned squares. This procedure is continued throughout each row of perforations and the repetition of this means of selecting contribute greatly to human error and incorrect selections.

The mechanism according to the instant invention enables an operator to produce a pattern card in approximately one-half the time that it took by the former method, and the mental and physical steps required by said former method have been eliminated.

3,248,048 Patented Apr. 26, 1966 The invention includes an electrically energized keyboard or reading head and probe member. The keyboard has a plurality of contact terminals equivalent in number to the number of selecting levers carried in the pattern programmer itself. These contact terminals are separately connected to individual solenoids which in turn are mechanically linked to the individual selecting levers.

As with the former method of selecting, the operator utilizes a predetermined pattern that has been laid out in graph form with each square thereof representing stitches in the finished product.

The pattern layout graph is placed immediately adjacent the keyboard so that the individual squares of said graph are juxtapositioned with regards to their respectiv contact terminals on said keyboard.

The operator by means of the probe member is able to follow the pattern graph and to make the necessary selections by simply touching the contact terminals in line with the patterned squares on the graph layout. The touching of a contact terminal on the keyboard with the probing member completes that particular electrical circuit which energizes its respective solenoid, and by means of the mechanical linkage connected to the latter, its respective selecting lever is drawn inwardly to a position where it is adapted to be acted upon by-the punching head of the pattern programmer. This method of selecting permits an operator to make a complete row of selections without looking away from the graph layout or trying to remember the sequence of the selections that are to be made.

The keyboard is also provided with an additional contact terminal which may betermed a cycling circuit. After the desired number of selections have been made to make a single row of perforations ona pattern card, this additional contact terminal is touched with the probing member to complete the cycling circuit. The closing of this circuit energizes a clutch solenoid, and releasing the same the punching head is actuated to punch all the perforations in that particular row simultaneously. By a mechanism to be more fully explained hereinafter, the pattern card is advanced and the selected levers returned to their initial position in readiness for subsequent selections as the punching head is caused to return to its initial position. i

The invention will hereinafter be described in greater detail by reference to a specific embodiment thereof as illustrated in the accompanying figures of drawing, wherein: V

FIG. 1 is a view in side elevation and partially in section showing a portion of a pattern programmer and the mechanism according to the invention applied thereto;

FIG. la is a perspective view of the probe member and a portion of the keyboard utilized to' initiate selection of the desired selecting levers;

FIG. 1b diagrammatically illustrates the panel-of re.- lays that form a part of the individual electrical circuits according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a portion of the punching head and the electrical means utilized to actuate the same;

FIG. 3 is a wiring diagram of the electrical circuits utilized during the selection of the various selecting levers and the circuit employed to initiate actuation of the punch- Now referring to the figures of drawing, the pattern programmer shown in FIG. 1 is of conventional design and is not completely illustrated for it is believed enough of the programming mechanism has been shown to serve as a basis for a detailed description of the invention as applied thereto.

The conventional parts of a pattern programmer include a base or bed member which supports at one end thereof a vertically disposed guiding frame 11. A punch slide 12 assembles within the guiding surfaces of frame 11 and is adapted to reciprocate vertically therein by means of connecting links 13 (one only shown in FIG. 2) being pivotally attached to the lower and outer sides of said punch slide. The opposite ends of these connecting links 13 (not shown) are eccentrically journaled on a driving shaft 14 which extends through and beyond the sides of the bed member 10 (FIG. 2). Below and forward of the punch slide '12 there is provided a punch block 15 having a plurality of vertically disposed guiding channels 16 in which individual punching instrumentalities 17 are receivable.

The pattern card material (not shown) is drawn from a suitable source of supply, guided through a horizontal and laterally extending slot 18 in the lower portion of the punch block '15, and is then guided through knurled indexing rolls (not shown) which are caused to function in timed relation to the punching apparatus.

A plurality of selecting levers 19 (one only shown in FIG. 1) which extend in a longitudinal direction with respect to the pattern programmer itself are supported above the bed member 10 and intermediate their ends by a horizontally disposed and'laterally extending bar 20. The inner end of the selecting levers 19 extend through and are separately guided by a com'b like guide member 21. This guide member 21 is attached to a supporting bar 22 by means of screws 23 (one only shown 'in FIG. 2) and the supporting bar itself is attached by means of screws 24 to the punch slide guide plates 25 and 26 which assemble on the sides of the forward portion of the guiding frame 11 by screws 27.

A punch plate 28 is attached by any suitable means to the forward side of the punch slide '12 in a horizontal and generally centralized position and is adapted to act upon the inner ends of the selecting levers 19 when they are selected in a manner to be more fully described hereinafter.

The selecting levers 19 are spring biased toward the front of the pattern programmer or toward the left side of the mechanism as illustrated in FIG. 1 of the drawings by means of a coil spring 29. One end of this coil spring 29 attaches to a nib 30 formed on the forwardmost end of the selecting lever 19 and the opposite end extending angularly downward attaches to a spring anchor bracket 31. Due to the large number of selecting levers required, they are very closely positioned in the programmer and permits springs 29 to be attached to every other selecting lever only. Alternate selecting levers are spring biased in a like manner but utilize a shorter coil spring 32 one end of which attaches to a nib 33 formed on the lower forward end of said levers, and the opposite end thereof as shown in FIG. 1 extends singularly-downward and is attached to the spring anchor bracket as at 34.

Adjacent the forward end of each selecting lever -19 there is provided a vertically disposed spring biased pin 35 the lower tip portion of which is caused to bear against the outer periphery of a horizontal and laterally extending drum member 36 as at 37. Drum member 36 has a groove 38 that extends the length of said drum which is adapted to receive the lower tip of the spring biased pin 35 when a selecting lever '19 is moved inwardly to the dotted line position depicted in FIG. 1. Pins 35 entering the groove 38 hold each selecting lever in its selected position until a complete row of selections have been made and until the operator cycles the selections so that all the 4. levers will be acted upon simultaneously to form a single row of perforations on the pattern card.

Before any of the selecting levers 19 can be moved inwardly, the inner end of each lever must be tilted downwardly slightly to enable the inner lip 39 of the selecting lever to clear the lower lip portion 40 of the punch plate 28 when selections are made and the levers moved inwardly to the dotted line position depicted in FIG. 1. This tilting of the levers is accomplished by turning a lever restraining rod 41 so that the rounded portion thereof is. pressing on the top edge of said levers. The restraining rod 41 extends transversely over the top of the selecting levers and is supported at each end thereof by a supporting bracket 42 (one only shown in FIG. 1).

When a row of selections have been made and the de-,

ly and through the pattern card material to form the desired pattern perforations therein.

A stripper plate 43 extending transversely over and adjacent the inner ends of the selecting levers is supported at each end by vertically disposed link members 44 (one only shown in FIGS. 1 and 2). These link members are cam controlled (control means not shown) and are caused to reciprocate vertically in timed relation with the actuation of the punching head. The stripper plate 43 descends with the punch slide 12 and the punch plate 28 when the punching head is actuated, but the return of said stripper plate to its initial position is not as rapid as that of said punch slide and punch plate. When the inner ends of the selected levers 19 are pushed downwardly the levers themselves are pivoted on bar 20 causing the lower tips of the spring biased pins 35 to be pulled out of the groove 38 which extends the length of the drum member 36. The stripper plate '43 being timed to return to its initial position later than the punch slide and punch plate, prevents the inner ends of the selected levers 19 from rising with said punch slide and plate and permits the lower lip portion 40 of the punch plate to be moved clear of the inner lip 39 of said levers 19. This condition permits each of the selected levers to be drawn back to their initial unselected position by the retraction of the coil springs 29 or 32.

The punching instrumentalities 17 are pulled upwardly to their original position by means of a return plate 45.

A container member generally indicated by numeral 47 is positioned above and in overlying relation to the selecting levers 19 and is provided in the lower and generally centralized portion thereof with a transversely extending shaft member 48. The ends of this shaft member are fixedly positioned in the side walls of the container memlber and that portion between said side walls carries a pluraliy of oscillatable disc members 49. The number of disc members 49 equal the number of selecting levers 19 and being in vertical alignment with the latter, they are adapted to cooperate with the same as will be more fully explained hereinafter. The upper portion of the container is provided with a plurality of plate-like supports 50 which extend between and are fixedly attached to the side walls of the container. Each plate-like support carries several solenoids 51 with the plungers 52 thereof being directed in a generally downward direction. All of the plungers 52 are provided with connecting links 53 which extend to radially aligned attachment points adjacent the outer periphery of the oscillatable disc members with which they are adapted to cooperate. Due to the size of the solenoids and the numer required to equal the number of disc members 49 and selecting levers 19, it is necessary that each plate-like disc 50 carry two rows of solenoids with the solenoids in each upper row thereof being sta' gored, that is, each upper solenoid is so positioned that its connecting link 53 is caused to extend downwardly between adjacent solenoids of the lower rows.

Lever links 54 are pivotally attached, as are connecting links 53, to the lower portion of the discs 49 at points adjacent the outer periphery of said discs, and extending in a generally forward direction, the opposite ends of said lever links are attached to the upper portion of vertically disposed connecting arms 55. These connecting'arms are fixedly attached to the forward end of alternate selecting levers 19 and due to space' limitation because of the plurality of connecting arms required, the intermediate selecting levers have their connecting arms 55 attached at a point inwardly from its forward end (FIG. 1).

An electrically controlled reading head or keyboard member generally indicated by numeral 56 includes a plurality of contact terminals 57 which through individual relays 58 are separately connected to the individual solenoids 51, thereby forming individual electrical circuits for each of the selecting levers 19. An electrically energized probe member 59 is adapted to cooperate with the keyboard 56 and an operator by using the same can touch predetermined contact terminals 57 to select the number and sequence of levers 19 that will be acted upon by the punching head. Contact between the probe member 59 and a contact terminal 57 completes one of the individual electrical circuits and the particular solenoid 51 forming apart of said circuit is energized causing its plunger 52 to actuate in a known manner. Actuation of a plunger 52 pulls the connecting link 53 attached thereto in the direction of the indicating arrow depicted in FIG. I. This motion causes the cooperating disc member 49 to turn in an anti-clockwise direction which in turn pulls its respective lever link 54 and the selecting lever attached 7 to the latter inwardly placing the inner end of said lever in a position to be acted upon by the punching head. All or any number of levers may be selected and when the desired number and sequence of selections have been made that will form one row of perforations on the pattern card, the punching head is actuated, causing all levers selected to be acted upon simultaneously.

The means for actuating the punching head is electrically control-led and includes a cycling terminal 60 on the keyboard 56 and by means of the probe 59 a separate cycling circuit is completed. This cycling terminal is connected to a relay 61 and the energizing of the latter energizes and actuates a clutch solenoid 62 shown in FIG. 2. i

The punching head receives its source of power through a V-type pulley 63 which assembles on the driving .shaft 14 immediately adjacent to the bed member 10 of the pattern programmer. Pulley 63 is caused to rotate by means of a V belt 64 which is driven by a motor (not shown) positioned below said pulley. v

The driving shaft 14 extends outwardly beyond the pulley 63 and carries a single revolution type clutch 64' thereon. This type of clutch is furnished by the Hilliard Corp. of Elmira, New York, and is fully disclosed in US. Patent No. 2,140,737. Pulley 63 is constantly rotating when the pattern programmer is in use and upon release of the clutch 64' the latter engages with said pulley to rotate the driving shaft 14 thereby actuating the punching apparatus.

A double-armed clutch release lever 65 is pivoted intermediate its ends by means of a screw 66 and is pivotally attached at one end to the plunger 67 of the clutch solenoid 62. The opposite end of this release lever is in hook form as at 68 and is adapted to engage that portion of the clutch which prevents its rotation as at 69.

The energizing of the clutch solenoid 62 actuates plunger 67 pulling the same downwardly and pivoting lever 65 to release the clutch thereby actuating the punching head to form a row of perforations on the pattern card material.

FIG. 3 is a wiring diagram of the electrical circuit utilized to position a single selecting lever and the circuit utilized to initiate the actuation of the punching apparatus.

To simplify this diagram, only one selecting lever circuit is illustrated for the remaining leads from the contact terminals 57 would only be duplicates of theone shown completed.

The mechanism utilizes a source of 110 volts A.C. which is directed through a transformer T reducing the same to 12 volts. These 12 volts are utilized to energize the probe member 59 and the contact terminals 57. Contact between the probe member and a contact terminal 57 completes a 12-volt circuit to energize and actuate a relay 58. The actuation of a relay 58 completes a 110 voltage circuit permitting a solenoid 51 to be actuated thereby. The cycling terminal 60 on the keyboard 56 functions in a similar manner, for when touched by the probe member 59, a 12 voltage circuit'is completed to energize and actuate the relay 61. This relay completes another 110 voltage circuit permitting solenoid 62 to be actuated thereby.

A common, known means of advancing a pattern card after each actuation of the punching head is shown in FIG. 4. For clarity this unit is shown separated from the base or bed member 10 and includes a pair of L- shaped support brackets 63 and 64 which are normally fixedly attached to the bed member 10 and extend from the latter in spaced and parallel relation.

Cap members 65 and 66 of a similar configuration to the support brackets63 and 64 are firmly positioned on the upper portion of the latter by means of strap members Y67 and 68 which extend from the upper surface of the bed member 10. Cap screws 69 passing through apertures in the strap members and thence into tapped holes in the bed member 10 and the cap members 65 and 66 serve as a means for removably attaching the latter to the support brackets 63 and 64.

Journal blocks ,70 are disposed in the space intermediate the cap members and the support brackets and are adapted to support the ends of a pair of juxtaposed guide rolls 71 and 72 which extend the distance between said support brackets. These guide rolls being disposed in contiguous relation are adapted to be rotated in the direction of the indicating arrows 73 and 74 in FIG. 4 and the pattern card 75 as it leaves the punching head passes over the top of the roll 72 and thence downwardly between it and roll 71.

about the roll and which are knurled on their outer surface and are adapted to contact the pattern card adjacent each side thereof. In close proximity with these knurled surfaces (roll 71 is provided with.aligned ringlike elements 77 which extend about the roll and being I disposed in close proximitywith said knurled surfaces,

75 vided.

a positive means for advancing the pattern card is pro- The means by which the guide rolls 71 and 72 are caused to rotate in timed relation to the punching apparatus will now be described.

Those portions of guide rolls 71 and 72 which are supported in the journal blocks 70 are of a lesser diameter than the rolls themselves and on those portions protruding outwardly from the support brackets they are provided with mechanical components for rotating said rolls.

Those ends protruding beyond support bracket 64 have gear members 78 and 79 afiixed thereon in meshing relation and when the latter gear is caused to rotate, in a manner to be described, it automatically rotates gear member 78 and guide roll 7-1.

That end of guide roll 72 which protrudes beyond the limits'of the support bracket 63 supports and has fixedly attached thereto a Geneva wheel 80. This Geneva wheel is rotated in a known manner by a rotatable cam 81 having a laterally extending pin 82 which is engageable with the recesses disposed about the outer periphery of said Geneva wheel.

The means for rotating cam 81 includes a shaft member 83 which is supported for rotary movement in the support bracket 63 immediately adjacent to the bed member 10. The inner end of shaft member 83 is provided with a secondary driving gear 84 which isin meshing relation with a driving gear 85. This driving gear 85 is fixedly positioned on the driving shaft 14 opposite that end which supports the clutch 64'. When the clutch is released to make a complete revolution for actuating the punching head, shaft 14 rotates in a like manner. This motion through the driving gears and Geneva device indexes the guide rolls and moves the pattern card a distance sufficient for the next row of pattern perforations to be applied thereto.

In operation, the operator follows a predetermined pattern which has been laid out on graph paper. A single row of squares on the graph paper is equivalent in number to the number of contact terminals 57 on the keyboard. Each square represents a selecting lever and is suitably marked for each lever that is to be selected.

The graph layout is positioned in close proximity with the keyboard so that each square thereof is immediately adjacent to and in alignment with its respective contact terminal 57.

The operator by means of the probe member 59 is able to make a complete row of selections and cycle the same by simply touching the contact terminal 57 in line with the patterned square on the graph layout.

While one embodiment of the invention has been disclosed, it is to be understood that the inventive concept may be carried out in a number of ways. This invention is, therefore, not to be limited to the precise details described, but is intended to embrace all variations and modifications thereof falling within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the claims.

We claim:

1. 'In a punching head for producing a pattern card to control the selection of needles in a knitting machine, a plurality of punching instrumentalities, a row of individually controllable selecting levers equivalent in number to said punching instrumentalities and adapted to cooperate with the latter, individual electrical solenoids including a pair of cooperating link members with an oscillatable disc member interposed therebetween, one of said link members interconnecting one of said solenoids with one of said discs and the other interconnecting said disc with one of said selecting levers, means for transmitting electrical impulses selectively to certain predetermined solenoids to effect selection of said levers linked thereto, a clutch member for activating said punching head, clearing the same and advancing said pattern card in readiness for subsequent selections.

2. In a punching head for producing a pattern card to control the selection of needles in a knitting machine,

disc with one'of said selecting levers, means for transmitting momentary electrical impulses selectively to cer-' tain predetermined solenoids to efiect selection of said levers linked thereto, a clutch member for activating said punching head, clearing the same and advancing said pattern card in readiness for subsequent selections, said means for transmitting electrical impulses comprising an electrically energized probe and keyboard member inter,- connected with each of said solenoids.

3. In a punching head for producing a pattern card to control the selection of needles in a knitting machine,

a plurality of punching instrumentalities, a row of individually controllable selecting levers equivalent in number to said punching instrumentalities and adapted to cooperate with the latter, individual electrical solenoids,

mechanically linked to each of said selecting levers, means for transmitting electrical impulses selectively to certain predetermined solenoids to efiect selection of said levers linked thereto, a clutch member for activating said punching head, clearing the same and advancing said pattern card in readiness for subsequent selections,'said means for transmitting electrical impulses comprising an electrically energized probe and keyboard member interconnected with each of said solenoids, said clutch member including a solenoid member interconnected with said keyboard and probe for selectively activating said punching head.

4. A selecting device for a punching head of the type having a single revolution type clutch, a plurality of punching instrumentalities adapted to cooperate with individual selecting levers and which is utilized to produce pattern cards for controlling the selection of needles in a knitting machine, said selecting device comprising (a) an electrically energized probe member and keyboard having a row of contact terminals equal in number to the selecting levers,

(b) individual solenoids mechanically linked to the selecting levers and interconnected with said probe member and the contact terminals of said keyboard, whereby said probe member momentarily energizes said solenoids to select cooperating selecting levers and said levers are maintained in selected position after the deenergizing of said solenoids,

(c) an electrically controlled means for cycling the selection of the punching instrumentalities thereby forming the desired number and sequence of perforations on the pattern card, returning said select,- ing levers to non-selected position and advancing said pattern card for subsequent selections.

5. A selecting device for a punching head of the type having a single revolution type clutch, a plurality of punching instrumentalities adapted to cooperate with individual selecting levers and which is utilized to produce pattern cards for controlling the selection of needles in a knitting machine, said selecting device comprising (a) an electrically energized probe member and keyboard having a row of contact terminals equal in number to the selecting levers,-

(b) individual solenoids adapted to be mechanically linked to the selecting levers and interconnected with said probe member and the contact terminals of said keyboard,

(c) an electrically controlled means for cycling the selection of the punching instrumentalities thereby forming the desired number and sequence of perforations on the pattern card and advancing the latter for subsequent selections, and I 9 10 ((1) said electrically controlled means comprising a 2,774,428 12/ 1956 Ware 234-1 clutch solenoid interconnected with said probe mem- 2,860,708 11/ 1958 Larson 2344-41 her and keyboard. 3,090,550 5/1963 Servillat 23491 X References Cited by the Examiner 5 FOREIGy PATENTS UNITED STATES PATENTS 284,447 1 1/ 1952 Switzerland. 1,293,356 2/1919 Damm 234115 WILLIAM W. DYER, IR., Primary Examiner. 1,644,950 10/1927 Ragan 234-415 r 2,197,306 4/1940 Ingraham 35 4s WILLIAM LAWSON, Examine- 

1. IN A PUNCHING HEAD FOR PRODUCING A PATTERN CARD TO CONTROL THE SELECTION OF NEEDLES IN A KNITTING MACHINE, A PLURALITY OF PUNCHING INSTRUMENTALITIIES, A ROW OF INDIVIDUALLY CONTROLLABLE SELECTING LEVERS EQUIVALENT IN NUMBER TO SAID PUNCHING INSTRUMENTALITIES AND ADAPTED TO COOPERATE WITH THE LATTER, INDIVIDUAL ELECTRICAL SOLENOIDS INCLUDING A PAIR OF COOPERTING LINK MEMBERS WITH AN OSCILLATABLE DISC MEMBER INTERPOSED THEREBETWEEN, ONE OF SAID LINK MEMBERS INTERCONNECTING ONE OF SAID SOLENOIDS WITH ONE OF SAID DISCS AND THE OTHER INTERCONNECTING SAID DISC WITH ONE OF SAID SELECTING LEVERS, MEANS FOR TRANSMITTING ELECTRICAL IMPULSES SELECTIVELY TO CERTAIN PREDETERMINED SOLENOIDS TO EFFECT SELECTION OF SAID LEVERS LINKED THERETO, A CLUTCH MEMBER FOR ACTIVATING SAID PUNCHING HEAD, CLEARING THE SAME AND ADVANCING SAID PATTERN CARD IN READINESS FOR SUBSEQUENT SELECTIONS. 